The Virginia General Assembly meets annually, beginning on the second Wednesday in January, for 60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years, with an option to extend annual sessions for a maximum of 30 days. Because the General Assembly moves very fast, PEC tracks a number of bills and provides comments throughout each session. Please sign up for our email alerts and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for the most recent updates.
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A few past General Assembly highlights:
- 2022: PEC worked with Del. Michael Webert to secure the unanimous passage of HB996, a bill that helps prevent the loss of family farms and forest land by ensuring eligible landowners can participate in Virginia’s use-value taxation program. HB996 specifically addresses an issue in existing law that keeps many heirs’ property owners from being able to participate. It took effect July 1, 2022.
- 2022: PEC was a lead advocate for SB158 / HB 141, which established the Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Preservation Fund. This state grant program, allocated five million dollars in its first year, is intended to help preserve and interpret historic structures, cultural landscapes and archeological sites important to underrepresented communities and tribal nations. The application process should launch spring or summer of 2023.
- 2022: HB206, also sponsored by Del. Michael Webert, addresses a lack of mitigation standards for significant adverse impacts on forested lands and prime agricultural soils when utility-scale solar projects are developed. HB206 established a workgroup, which on Dec. 1 presented a 717-page document discussing 41 proposals for new definitions and processes for implementing regulations. DEQ is looking to reconvene the body to continue its work in 2023.
- 2021: Good news! HJ 527, a study resolution we helped draft related to the sale of invasive plants, has passed the house and senate and is on its way to the governor’s desk.
- 2021: More good news! Our priority land conservation legislation, HB 1760 / SB 1199, which preserves the integrity of all existing conservation easements has passed and is on its way to the governor’s desk.
Recording: General Assembly Preview
On Saturday, Dec. 2, over 450 advocates banded together at Virginia Conservation Network’s 13 in-person Regional Watch Parties across the state or tuned in virtually to “preview” the critical environmental legislative action upcoming in the …
2024 General Assembly: Building Bipartisan Support for Conservation
Updates on the conversations taking place in Richmond and a few of the ways PEC is working to support conservation efforts statewide …
The Environmental Footprint of the Digital Age
Virginia is subsidizing billions of dollars in data center development on the backs of its ratepayers, without a full understanding of the long-term ramifications …
Expanding Access to Community Solar
Community solar is an affordable renewable energy option for residents who cannot secure rooftop solar due to logistical constraints …
Powering Progress Through Rooftop Solar
Distributed rooftop solar has many benefits as we build out the clean energy needed to reach the 100% zero-carbon-emissions standard laid out in Virginia’s Clean Economy Act (VCEA) …
Deploying Utility-Scale Solar Responsibly
Utility-scale solar facilities are a key component of Virginia’s transition to a clean energy future. However, the Commonwealth must ensure that impacts on Virginia’s farms, forests, and streams are minimized …
Mitigating Data Center Development’s Impacts
Virginia is home to the largest concentration of data centers in the world, widely cited as hosting 70% of global internet traffic. This massive industry is continuing to grow very fast, requiring huge amounts of energy, …
Connecting Wildlife Habitats
Wildlife must be able to move through our landscapes to acquire resources, find genetically diverse mates, and adapt to a changing climate. Roads, development, and other infrastructure can impede wildlife movement and create dangerous scenarios …
Investing in Virginia’s Heritage and Future
Across Virginia’s coast, piedmont, and mountains, we have a wealth of natural and cultural resources that are closely tied to the state’s heritage and integral to its future. These resources are assets vital to the …
Working With Farmers to Protect Our Waterways
Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry by many metrics. It also represents the largest source of nutrient and sediment pollution reaching Virginia’s local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. Fortunately, addressing these pollution loads offers an …
